A Kano-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, who was banned from preaching by the Kano state government, has accused the State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje of issuing the order because he worked against him (Ganduje) during the 2019 general election.
Kabara was reacting to the recent action of the State Government which banned him from preaching over what they described as inciting comments capable of destabilising the peace of the state.
READ: Ban movement of cattle from the north to south, Ganduje charges Buhari
Speaking at his residence on Thursday, the cleric said the action is more of political than religious.
He said, “The reasons are very obvious. The person who took the decision (Ganduje) has said it times without number that he never forgives.
“I fought him during the last election and he promised to retaliate, only that he is taking the wrong decision at the wrong time. So this ban is purely political, it has nothing to do with religion or incitement.
“I have told my followers to prepare their votes ahead of the next election and do the needful.
“Alhamdulillah for everything, I am fighting scholars, not Government, but at the end, Government took over on their behalf.
“This clearly shows that they don’t have answers to all my questions.
“How does the government know that I’m trying to incite the public on religious issues? Have they gone through the books I’m making reference to before jumping to the conclusion? Are they even knowledgeable about them?
“They should at least check the books I am making reference to, to make sure that I am not the one who said them, without doing so, then they must be unfair to me.
“This decision is sheer injustice. And, whosoever wants to understand the situation should look for what the Kano State Commissioner for Education said last night (Wednesday) wherein he explained that the government has deliberately succumbed to the pressure of these scholars who used their political ideologies to alter religious issues to their taste,” he added.
On whether he will abide by the government’s order on the ban, the Islamic cleric said he has always been law abiding and will comply with the ban.
“I am appealing to my followers to exercise patience with this decision and never revolt against it. Injustice will never remain forever. Let us continue to pray and it shall come to pass soon Insha Allah,” he added.
Kano state government has not responded to the latest accusation but earlier in a statement, it stated that the ban became necessary because of “his mode of teachings considered too incendiary.”
